BizBeat: Jefferson City natives open Columbia restaurant

Father and son duo Wade and Jared Bradley will open Dickey’s Barbecue Pit in Columbia this week. The Jefferson City natives will open the first Dickey’s, a Dallas-based family-run franchise famous for its authentic slow smoked barbecue, in Columbia.

Wade has more than 35 years of restaurant management experience. His new business venture, opening Thursday at 1412 Forum Boulevard Suite 130, includes signature meats, home-style sides, tangy barbecue sauce and free kids meals every Sunday.

“The Dickey’s Barbecue business model was exactly what I was looking for,” Wade said. “Columbia is a vibrant town experiencing a lot of growth right now, making it the perfect location for fast-casual barbecue.”

To celebrate its grand opening, three days of special giveaways are planned. The first 50 guests will receive gift cards worth up to $50. On Friday, the barbecue pit will offer all day merchandise giveaways, and on Saturday, customers can stop by for $2 pulled pork barbecue sandwiches from noon to 2 p.m. and customers will have the chance to win St. Louis Cardinals tickets. One lucky winner will be chosen for a $500 gift card and two winners will receive free barbecue for an entire year.

Know of any business happenings in the Jefferson City area? Let us know at bizbeat@newstribune.com.